WASHINGTON: Lebanon and Israel are set to hold their first direct meeting in Washington next Tuesday at the US State Department, in a significant diplomatic development aimed at securing a ceasefire and laying the groundwork for formal negotiations, the Lebanese presidency has confirmed.
According to a statement issued by the presidency on Friday, the initiative is part of a broader diplomatic effort led by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
The announcement follows a rare phone call between Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, with the participation of US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.
According to Al-Jazeerra, during the call, both sides agreed to convene in Washington to discuss the conditions for a ceasefire and to outline a potential timeline for future negotiations under US mediation. Officials indicated that if agreement is reached on ceasefire terms, further structured talks could follow.
The development comes amid continued hostilities in Lebanon, with Israeli air strikes reportedly causing heavy casualties and widespread destruction across Lebanese territory.
The Lebanese health ministry has reported rising fatalities and injuries, while humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate.
Israel has claimed that its military operations are directed at targets linked to Hezbollah, which it accuses of carrying out cross-border rocket attacks.
The Israeli military, or Israel Defense Forces, has claimed that it has destroyed multiple rocket launchers in ongoing operations, while also claiming continued rocket fire into northern Israel.
The escalation has taken place against a complex diplomatic backdrop, with conflicting interpretations over whether Lebanon was included in a recently announced Islamabad-brokered US-Iran ceasefire framework.
US Vice-President JD Vance stated that the agreement did not extend to Lebanon, while Iranian officials have argued otherwise. US President Donald Trump has said his administration brokered the broader truce arrangement.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has accused Israel of violating ceasefire understandings through continued strikes in Lebanon, deepening diplomatic tensions.
Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies, including the World Food Programme, have warned of a worsening crisis in Lebanon, with over a million people displaced and food insecurity rising sharply due to disrupted supply routes and escalating prices.
Direct engagement between Lebanon and Israel remains highly unusual, with both countries historically relying on intermediaries.
The upcoming Washington meeting is being viewed as a cautious but potentially significant step towards de-escalation in a region already under severe strain.
